


In the Darkness of Winter

by i_write_a_lot



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Aliens, Cabin, Cold, Comfort, Family, Friendship, Gen, Other - Freeform, Poetry, Sleep, Team, Trapped, Winter, blizzard, fireplace
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-17
Updated: 2014-05-17
Packaged: 2018-01-25 10:02:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,378
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1644767
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/i_write_a_lot/pseuds/i_write_a_lot
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Stranded temporarily on a wintery planet, Teyla recalls a poem her father had once told her while the team attempt to stay warm.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In the Darkness of Winter

**Author's Note:**

> -I do not own Stargate Atlantis. 
> 
> -Kudos and Comments much appreciated. Thank you for reading.

Ronon trugged into the smallish cabin, and shook his great thick hair, making snow fly everywhere and Rodney complain indignantly when it got onto him. Teyla cast him a look, but John wasn’t paying much attention as he knew that their situation was bad. The snow was half deep up the stargate, and the DHD was good and buried-it would take the villagers at least a week to clear away the snow, and even if Atlantis attempted to radio them from the gate…there wasn’t much that they could do.

Sure, the gate would likely melt the snow, but the other snow would just come rushing in to take it’s place. And not to mention, the villagers would still be trapped. The snowstorm had taken everyone by complete surprise, as no one had been expecting it to snow this early and this fast. It was a conundrum, and John was positive that this wasn’t going to be the worst of it. Being trapped on an alien planet was a nusience, yes. But being trapped by piles and piles of bitterly cold that could kill you if you stayed outside for too long…that was worse.

But at the least, the villagers would be alright. They ran slightly hotter temperatures than regular humans, their normal tempature was about 120 instead of the usual Earth tempature which was about 96 or some such. John never did pay much attention to medical, but the villagers had voiced their concern about he and his team not surviving   
the week due to the cold weather.

“We’ve got jackets,” John had tried to tell them. “And we can start a fire, and if you’ll let us borrow a cabin until the snow clears away enough-we should be fine.”

The mayor, Mayor Regnold, of the small village they were in (Dunshine), was doubtful, but suggested that not only do they borrow a cabin, but they also borrow a few of the villagers. Rodney hadn’t felt that that was a particularly wise idea-and surprisingly, Ronon actually agreed with the prickly scientist.

Teyla, however, was firm-these were a people that were kind, generous to a fault, and very protective of those that they trust and love. Family was important to them, friends just as much-for there were few places that could truly be called home. The wraith didn’t come to this planet, because of how deep the snows got sometimes.

This snowstorm had simply taken the entire village-and John’s team-by surprise.

Just like it always did.

“I swear this galaxy has it out for us,” John muttered, as he and Rodney were both at the fireplace, shivering. Ronon was a bit more used to this type of weather, and Teyla was as well. It would take them a while before they started to shiver and tremble from the cold as well.

“Least we’re together,” Rodney said softly, and John looked at him. Ever since he’d reunited with Jeannie-his sister-he seemed to be reflective about family and the closeness of it. He seemed determined to bring his team together with his family, as John wasn’t particularly close to his, Ronon didn’t have any, and nor did Teyla. 

For a few quiet moments, the only sounds was the howling of the wind and the cackling of the fire, and then a villager came into the room with a pot of some sort from the kitchen. 

“Hot soup,” The villager, a young girl named Aloona, said proudly. “My mama taught me how to make it when I was twelve. I’m fifteen now. Papa and Mama both say that soon it will be time for me to marry,” 

“Isn’t that kinda young?” Rodney asked, startled. Ronon and Teyla exchanged sideways glances, both of them knowing what Earthers thought about marrying to young after having talked with their leader, Lt. Col. Carter, about marriage in the Pegasus Galaxy and how it compared to the Eather’s home planet. 

“Nay, tis old enough. I’m one of the last to get married, at my age. I will be lucky if I find someone strong and kind-hearted,” She said, smiling at him. “Papa says it will do me good to marry a boy, but Mama believes that I should have a strong girl at my side, especially a strong girl that has lots of family already.”

Rodney stared at her, and John said softly, 

“I hope you find someone that you want to marry, Aloona.”

The wind slammed against the house, making all of them jump as the house shook and shuddered. Teyla seemed uneasy at such for the first time, and Ronon frowned. Rodney shivered harder, and John trembled as well, both of them huddling closer to the fire, grateful for its warmth.

“I will fetch more blankets. Mama says that there are dozens of blankets, infused with heat, to help protect humans like you,” Aloona informed them, and dashed off before any of them could say anything. 

“You handled that well,” Teyla said, after a moment of quiet. “I know you and your people all have different ideas on marriage, and young children.”

“I don’t agree with it, but I’ve long since learned that in the Pegasus Galaxy-it’s not my place to argue,” John agreed, nodding as he sipped the hot soup. It tasted almost like chicken noodle, he was surprised to discover.

“Hopefully we won’t have to stay here much longer,” Rodney said glumily. “I hate cold. I got enough cold back in Canada,” He turned wistful again, and John resolved to get him some more time off on weekends so he could visit his sister from time to time. Thankfully with the Daedalus, trips back and forth were easier than ever.

“Least we’re not stuck outside in the cold and the dark,” John drawled, yawning. The heat and comfort of friends were beginning to make him sleepy.

“My father taught me something, once,” Teyla said, quietly. She was parked next to John while Ronon was next to Rodney at the fireplace. All were sitting on the floor, which was heat infused, helping to keep them warm. “I think it is what your people would call a poem. I never figured out if he created it, or if he simply learned it through others.” 

“Let’s hear it,” John suggested, leaning back so that he was looking up at the ceiling. Teyla’s soft voice half-whispered the words as she was slowly falling asleep on the floor, with all the blankets spread out underneath them.

“In the darkness of winter, there comes a time, when friendship will faulter, and enemies will cry-death to you and all you have, may then the goddess take your hand, and lead you and your loved ones to the protected lands,” 

A long silence fell at the end of that, and Rodney murmured sleepily, 

“That both really gruesome and really pretty-ow!” 

“You called it gruesome,” Teyla said, hurt in her voice. “I have always found it peaceful,” Ronon was quiet, and John was almost positive that the big guy was pretty much asleep by this point.

“It’s peaceful,” John reassured her, struggling against another yawn. “But Rodney’s right-there’s death and violence in there, Teyla. ‘death to you and all you have’ sounds rather harsh,”

“Winter is harsh, is it not?” She countered, but the words sounded weak with sleep. Ronon was already snoring, and Rodney seemed quiet as well. John chuckled, and said with a loud yawn,

“Winter’s harsh and beautiful…just like you, and Rodney, and Ronon, and Atlantis…” His murmuring drifted off and soon all four of them were sound asleep in front of the fireplace, curled up tight against one another like brothers and sisters would be on a cold winter day at home, with the fire being the warmest part of the house. 

Aloona came back with a huge bunch of blankets, and paused at seeing all four humans sleeping deeply in front of the fireplace. She smiled, as it was a great honor for such aliens to trust her to keep them warm and protect them from harm. She carefully arranged the heat infused blankets on top of all of them, and took away the bowls of soup. 

Tomorrow, the snow would end.

And soon, her friends will be able to go home again.

==  
End


End file.
